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Have you ever felt completely alone on this journey of life? Have you ever been overwhelmed by the challenges surrounding you? If so, there’s a lesson we can learn from the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness.
The Israelites were, as you will recall, descendants of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, whom God renamed Israel after they wrestled by the Jabbok brook.(1) The Amalekites(2) were the descendants of Amalek, the grandson of Esau, who was Israel’s brother and also a grandson of Abraham. It had been approximately 440 years since the families of Esau and Israel had last met.
During those years, while the descendants of Israel were enslaved in Egypt, the descendants of Esau (the Amalekites) had established their territory in the southern part of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel by God. You will recall, Esau had given up his birthright,(3) and had been despoiled of his blessing.(4)
The land the Amalekites now inhabited was in fact the birthright of their cousins, the Israelites. But these were not “kissing cousins”. The Amalekites knew all too well about the birthright they had lost and were determined to retain through battle what they had lost many years earlier through birthright. The warriors of the Amalekite branch of the family tree had come to Rephidim to defeat and destroy their Israelite cousins. So Moses commanded Joshua to call the Israelites to arms to fight the army of Amalek.
Moses then called Aaron and Hur to go to the top of a hill that overlooked the field of battle, where the descendants of Abraham—Israelite and Amalekite—would battle one another. It was appropriate that Moses asked Aaron and Hur to join him. Aaron was the older brother of Moses, ordained by God to be Moses’ spokesperson. Hur was Moses’ brother-in-law; the historian Josephus tells us that Hur was the husband of Moses’ sister Miriam.
God led Moses to stand at the top of the hill with the staff of God in his hand and promised that as long as the staff remained upraised, the Israelites—God’s chosen people—would have the advantage. God didn’t promise they wouldn’t have to fight their cousins; rather, He assured them of victory if they followed His instruction. But it wouldn’t be accomplished by any one person individually. It would involve the whole family.
God surrounded Moses and the people with family members through whom He desired to equip them for His purpose. God knew Moses couldn’t keep his hands upraised by himself and provided brothers to stand on either side to hold up his hands until the task was completed. God knew Joshua couldn’t defeat the army of Amalek by himself and provided an army of brothers to fight alongside him.
i am mindful that God does not intend our journeys through life to be a solitary event. He has raised up family members—both those by birth, as well as those by rebirth—to walk with us, hold up our arms, fightalongside us, and encourage us on the journey. Never think for one moment that God has sent you out alone.
Yes, it is God who is leading us and strengthening us—but watch for the family that He brings alongside you to accomplish His purpose. And never think that your journey is just about you; it’s God’s journey … and He does not intend for you to make it alone.
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You can read about the Israelite’s encounter with the Amalekites in the seventeenth chapter of the Book of Exodus.
This post is taken from chapter 20 of my book, The Journey Begins. For more information about the book, click here.
(1) Genesis 32:28
(2) Exodus 17:8-13 (NLT)
While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek came to fight against them. Moses commanded Joshua, "Call the Israelites to arms, and fight the army of Amalek. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."
So Joshua did what Moses had commanded. He led his men out to fight the army of Amalek. Meanwhile Moses, Aaron, and Hur went to the top of a nearby hill. As long as Moses held up the staff with his hands, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites gained the upper hand. Moses' arms finally became too tired to hold up the staff any longer. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side, holding up his hands until sunset. As a result, Joshua and his troops were able to crush the army of Amalek.
(3) Genesis 25:33
(4) Genesis 27:36-37
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